Since its establishment in 2004, the Consortium for Western China Development Studies has organized eight conferences on various issues concerning the development of western China. The initial conference held in Chengdu in 2004 directed the attention “Towards a New Paradigm for Developing Western China: Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Development and Globalization.” The seven follow-up conferences continued to discuss issues of the region’s development and, at the same time, envisaged further issues—like the topic of sustainable and rural development (Yinchuan 2005), regional anti-poverty actions (Chengdu 2006), the construction of harmonious society in poverty-stricken areas (Guiyang 2007), the assessment of development processes in western China (Xi’an 2008), retrospects and future prospects (Lanzhou 2009), “Ten Years of Western China Development" (Chengdu 2010) , as well as whether the experiences of “vulnerability and sustainability of Western China Development” (Chengdu 2013) had been served as a model for regional development in China. The conferences have gained great support from the Office of Western China Development, State Council, and from Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs of Columbia University, a Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has been a frequent participant of the conferences.
During the past ten years societies on the Western China have witnessed tremendous changes and transformations. In-depth analysis makes clear that a variety of internal (e.g. demography) and external influences (world market integration, global climate change) initiated or helped initiate such changes, with diverse groups being both agents and “victims” of processes that shape the dimension of their vulnerability or resilience. New risks and opportunities contribute to aggravate or mitigate the consequences of such processes, and together with political interventions decide about “households” and “social groups” adaptive capacity. The issue of sustainability, or sustainable development, is a problem that cannot be discussed for peoples in general. Rather it is an issue that must be considered in regional contexts, if not at individual household levels. Here, of course, also starts the problem of state interventions that more often than not want to deliver general solutions to complex problems. They are often reduced to issues of “poverty reduction”, thus, development is often misunderstood as mere programmes to fight poverty. Therefore, it is necessary to debate problems of eco-civilization and urban new districts construction in Western China.
Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, in association with The Consortium for Western China Development Studies, The Western China Development Committee of Regional Science Association of China, and The Chinese Economists Society, is much honored to host the The 9th Annual Conference of the Consortium for Western China Development Studies in Guiyang, China from 5th July to 6th July 2014. It is with great pleasure that we now extend this invitation for conference papers.
Theme and Panels:
The theme of conference: Eco-civilization and urban new districts construction in Western China Development
Tentative Panels:
1. The strategy and policy analysis of going and trying beforehand for the construction of urban new districts in Western China development
2. Typical development pattern and path of urban new district in the west
3. Comparison of urban new district and test area construction of eastern and western China
4. The construction of city complex and tourism complex of western China
5. The inland open and interactive cooperation demonstration zone construction of eastern and western China
6. The new-type industrialization, new urbanization and ecological civilization of urban new districts in Western China
7. Mountain urbanization and agricultural modernization of urban new districts in Western China
8. Local characteristic resources development of urban new districts in Western China
9. The construction of urban new districts and western underdeveloped area synchronous well-off in 2020
10. The construction of urban new districts and urban eco-tourism
11. Overtaking method and development path of tourism industry in under-developed area
12. Pro-poor tourism and tourism transition in under-developed area of Western China
13. Protection and development of tourism resources in the process of urbanization in the Western China
14. Research and collaborative innovation of inland open, urban new district construction and poverty reduction of destitute areas
15. Anti-poverty, eco-civilization and international regional cooperation
The final panels will be arranged based on the papers received. Experts and specialists are highly encouraged to initiate and to organize new panels based their expertise and fields.
Abstract Submission:
Interested participants, including specialists, scholars, government officials, entrepreneurs, PhD candidates, and representatives of other organizations, should send an abstract of no longer than 300 words to the Program Committee at <westchina2014@umich.edu> along with the name, title, affiliation, and contact information of the author(s), or use the online submission form at http://chinadatacenter.org/westchina2014/. The Paper Review Committee will screen all the papers and will send you a notification of paper acceptance, together with an invitation letter. Confirmed participants should submit a completed paper in time.
Publication:
1. Distribute the previous conference proceedings upon the conference
2. Edit and publish a new proceeding
3. Recommend the selected papers to several peer-review journals.
Important Dates:
April 30, 2014 - Deadline for abstracts
May 10, 2014 - Notification of paper acceptance
June 30, 2014 - Deadline for full paper
Registration Fee for the Conference:
Registration before May 31, 2014: RMB600 (USD100)
Registration after May 31, 2014: RMB800 (USD130)
Full-time student: RMB300 (USD50)
Post-Conference Tours:
The local organizer will offer a free one day tour to Guian New Development Zone after the conference.
The following one day tours are optional at your own cost:
Xijiang Miaosai 西江千户苗寨一日游：300；
Zhijingdong 织金洞一日游：300；
Fanjinshanyagou 梵净山亚木沟二日游：700；
Huangguoshu 黄果树、陡坡塘、天星桥、多彩贵州一日游：450。
Contact Information:
China Office:
The Consortium for Western China Development Studies
Prof. Minghong Yang
The Institute of Social Development & Western China Development Studies, Sichuan University
P.O. Box 391, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
Email: westchina2014@umich.edu
TEL: +86-28-8540-6801
U.S. Office:
The Consortium for Western China Development Studies
Dr. Shuming Bao
China Data Center, University of Michigan
1007 E Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1690, U.S.A
TEL: +1-734-647-9610
Email: westchina2014@umich.edu
The Organizer Office:
Professor Shao-lun Zeng and Dr. Bei-ming Hu
Research Institute of Gui-An New District and Research Institute of Guizhou Tourism Economics and Management, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics
Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
TEL: +86-851-851-0773
Email: westchina2014@umich.edu
